RIOT POLICE, PROTESTERS CLASH IN PARIS ON MAY DAY AHEAD OF PARIS OLYMPICS

Police fired tear gas in Paris as thousands of protesters marched through the city, demanding better pay and working conditions. Police said they arrested 45 people in Paris and that 12 officers had been injured during the protests on Wednesday, though the demonstrations were far more subdued than last year.

Some protesters set makeshift Olympic rings ablaze to express dissatisfaction with the upcoming Summer Games, scheduled to start in less than three months.

France's unions have warned of a potential strike during the Games unless the government adequately compensates individuals required to work during the summer holidays.

May Day, observed on May 1, to celebrate workers' rights.

Riot police resorted to tear gas and batons to scatter a portion of the demonstrators. While police estimated the number of protesters in the French capital at approximately 18,000, the hard-left CGT union cited a figure closer to 50,000.

The protesters' grievances primarily cantered around the cost of living and proposed changes to unemployment benefits. Additionally, some demonstrators waved Palestinian flags in a display of solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Police said a total of around 121,000 protesters took part in May Day rallies across France, while the CGT gave the figure of 200,000. That is still well below the more than two million people the union said had taken part in the May Day protests of 2023, which were augmented by strong opposition to French President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms that have now been enacted.

With inputs from agencies.

2024-05-01T18:11:49Z dg43tfdfdgfd